There was no one at the Bus Stop

by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay

Set in Calcutta in the 1970s, There Was No One at the Bus Stop is a
powerful exploration of adultery and its overwhelming consequences.
Trina, a married woman, impulsively decides one day to stop living a lie
and walks out on her husband, daughter and son, in whose lives she no
longer plays a role. But will she be able to sever the bonds and join the
man she loves in his home? The man, Debashish, is haunted by his wife’s
recent suicide and is tormented by the possibility that his young son would
rather live away from him.
Through spare prose and searing dialogue, this novel unfolds over twelve
hours on a single day. It reveals the often complex reasons that hold
human relationships together and the motives that break them apart.

Genres: Fiction

127 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 1961

About the author

শীর্ষেন্দু মুখোপাধ্যায় একজন ভারতীয় বাঙালি সাহিত্যিক।

তিনি ব্রিটিশ ভারতের বেঙ্গল প্রেসিডেন্সির অন্তর্গত ময়মনসিংহে (বর্তমানে বাংলাদেশের অংশ) জন্মগ্রহণ করেন—যেখানে তাঁর জীবনের প্রথম এগারো বছর কাটে। ভারত বিভাজনের সময় তাঁর পরিবার কলকাতা চলে আসে। এই সময় রেলওয়েতে চাকুরিরত পিতার সঙ্গে তিনি অসম, পশ্চিমবঙ্গ ও বিহারের বিভিন্ন স্থানে তাঁর জীবন অতিবাহিত করেন। তিনি কোচবিহারের ভিক্টোরিয়া কলেজ থেকে মাধ্যমিক শিক্ষা সম্পন্ন করেন। পরে কলকাতা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় থেকে বাংলায় স্নাতকোত্তর ডিগ্রি লাভ করেন। শীর্ষেন্দু একজন বিদ্যালয়ের শিক্ষক হিসেবে তাঁর কর্মজীবন শুরু করেন। বর্তমানে তিনি আনন্দবাজার পত্রিকা ও দেশ পত্রিকার সঙ্গে জড়িত।

তাঁর প্রথম গল্প জলতরঙ্গ শিরোনামে ১৯৫৯ খ্রিস্টাব্দে দেশ পত্রিকায় প্রকাশিত হয়। সাত বছর পরে সেই একই পত্রিকার পূজাবার্ষিকীতে তাঁর প্রথম উপন্যাস ঘুণ পোকা প্রকাশিত হয়। ছোটদের জন্য লেখা তাঁর প্রথম উপন্যাসের নাম মনোজদের অদ্ভুত বাড়ি।

Reviews

[Ahtims · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars
I was discussing with a group of biblio friends about regional language books and to emphasize how many unknown titles there, I got hold of a list. This book was the second in the list and I bought the kindle version on an impulse, chiefly because.it cost only 49/-
And the blurb was interesting . All about marriage, fidelity and extramarital affairs.
I am partial to stories depicting the strengths and weaknesses of this great institute of "marriage" and was eager to begin
It was a quick and easy read.
But the story didn't have any substance. I couldn't empathise with the characters. They were hollow, and didn't make me like or hate them. There was no component of an emotional bond between the reader and the characters.
I don't know why they behaved thus.
Even the 4 year old child, Robi was a peculiar apathetic character, leave alone his dad Debashish and his lover and neighbor, Trina.
And the ending didn't enlighten me further .

All in all, an easily passable story .

[Harun Ahmed · Rating 3 out of 5]

২.৫/৫

[Tanaya Pandey (kitabiyatri) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Girija (thesacredwhispers) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"When you uproot a tree, do you suppose all it's roots come out at one go? So many pieces of the root, snapped threads, stay in the earth."
"The tree hasn't been uprooted at one go. Wasn't the earth around the roots eroded for a long time?"
"Can metaphors explain everything? There's a difference between tree and a person, afterall."

There Was No One At The Bus Stop originally written in Bengali by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay and translated in English by Arunava Sinha is a book about human emotions, marriage, adultery, motherhood and relationships.

Trina is in an extra marital affair with Debasish who is a widower and a father to young son, Robi. His wife died of suicide and Debashish is still tormented by her memories and thoughts.

Trina, however is living with her husband and a son and a daughter, but is equally lonely, for she's been ignored in her own house by her own family.
As quoted from the book, 'it is one thing to be alone by oneself, but quite another thing altogether to feel lonely even in the company of others.'

Trina is dealing with the loneliness in a house full of people.
Debashish is dealing with a toddler son who craves for his mother but cannot say and finds the warmth of the mother in his maid and aunt.
Both are unhappy in their respective lives and find solace in each other's company. But if only life was that easy that they could do what gives them happiness.

One day, on an impulse, she decides to leave everything and go.

The book takes us through the life of Trina and Debashish over the things that happen and the circumstances they have to deal with in the 12 hours of one day.

Written in simple and beautiful prose and equally beautifully translated, the story engulfs you within itself. Every character feels real and their story becomes your's as you read the book. The book deals with adultery and infidelity in such a matured way that you don't flinch while reading any of it. The book might be small but in no way is a light read. With an ending that you should look out for, the emotions that are packed in these mere 100 odd pages are overwhelming.

[Simran · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ✨

[Sumaîya Afrôze Puspîta · Rating 3 out of 5]

“আমরা কেউ কাউকে কনস্ট্যান্ট মনে রাখতে পারি না, সে যত ভালবাসার বা ঘেন্নার লোক হোক না কেন। কখনও মনে রাখি আবার ভুলে যাই, ফের মনে করি এমনিভাবেই সম্পর্ক রাখি।”

দিনশেষে মানুষ এবং সময়– এই দুইয়ের ক্ষেত্রেই সঠিক এবং ভুল নির্ণয়ে বেশিরভাগই কাঁচা!

গৎবাঁধা উপন্যাস, তবে গল্পের শেষটা কিছুটা সান্তনা দিয়েছে– রক্তের টান–এটা উপেক্ষা করার মতো পাষাণ বোধহয় কেউই নয়।

[Manish · Rating 3 out of 5]

A widower and father of a 6 year old son and an unhappily married mother of two fall in love.On the spur of a moment they decide to give up everything and live together only to realize the power of the ties that held them back all these years, This beautiful novel captures the thoughts of the two during this fateful single day of their lives.

[Naimul Arif · Rating 3 out of 5]

সম্পর্ক কাটাছেড়ার টানাপোড়ন এর গল্প। টিপিকক্যাল বিষণ্ন পশ্চিম বঙ্গীয় নভেলা।

[N. SezaN · Rating 3 out of 5]

পরকীয়া আর সাইকোলোজিক্যাল মিশেলে যথেষ্ট চিত্তাকর্ষক একটা বই।

[Wagisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published in Bengali in 1974, There Was No One At The Bus Stop is an exploration of adultery, love,lust and torn relationships.
Trina, a housewife lives with her husband Sachin and two children in a posh area of Calcutta. But her riches holds no value in front of Debashish who is her childhood acquaintance.
Debashish is a widower, whose wife has committed suicide. Now, Debashish has Robi, his four years old son. Debashish's relationship with his son is at stake. But he still desires Trina. In spur of moment Debashish and Trina decides to elope. Is it that easy ?
Eloping is easier said than done, it is the family ties comes in ones way and the anticipated extreme consequences followed by that.
I love how Sirshendu Mukhopadhay creates magic in his stories. He is always ahead in his stories. He has talked about the topic like adultery and I like how it isn't over the top. Sirshendu is one of those writers because of whom I want to learn Bangla.
The story has metaphorical touch at some places.
Although I have heard a lot of criticism about this book but for me it was such a smooth read.

[Pooja T · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really simple story of regular people living unhappy lives and a love between two unhappy people trying to find some happiness. Very atmospheric and full of melancholy and pathos. I really enjoyed this book and am glad I discovered a new author.

[Ahmed Faiyaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mukhapadhyay keeps it real, gripping, depicts ground realities, a moving tale of love and fidelity.

[Tarang Sinha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Debashish, a widower and father of a six year old boy Robi, falls in love with Trina. Trina, a married woman with two teenage children, reciprocates this feeling. But, the consequence of this forbidden relationship is harsh: she is shunned by her family, and in her own house, she lives like a stranger.

Debashsish, haunted by the suicide of his wife, avoids being in his own flat. Apart from Trina, the only comfort in his life is his son, Robi, who constantly misses his mother.

What’s the point of living like this when you don’t exist for your family, thinks Trina, and she finally decides to leave everything for good, and go to Debashish, who would be waiting for her at the bus stop.

But it’s a strange, strange day!

Is it so easy to cut all the ties? Would she be able to leave her life and live in the house of the man she loves?

There Was No One At The Bus Stop is a story that doesn’t really have many twists and turns, yet it keeps you engaged. It portrays loneliness so beautifully that you almost feel it; you don’t want to blame Trina or Debashish or Trina’s husband, Sachin (who knows everything), or their children for what they are doing. To be honest, many times, I found myself feeling emotional - how Trina feels when she visits her children’s room after a long time, her moments with her son or husband. The emptiness Debashish feels when his son, Robi, isn’t around.

Reba, Trina’s daughter, seemed too mature and rude for a twelve years old girl, though.

The narrative is a slow paced soliloquy, which I found deeply soothing. It’s an account of just one day, like any other day, but too intense for Trina and Debashish.

The book is translated by Arunava Sinha, one of my favourite translators. There’s something about his writing; it instantly pulls me in. The writing creates such beautiful imagery.

The whole story unfolds in just one day, and I felt as though I was walking alongside the characters wherever they went. It was like nothing else existed except for them and that scorching afternoon and the quiet moonlit night.

It’s not a book that you finish quickly, even though it’s just 120 pages long; it’s something you savour slowly. I am very fond of Bengali stories and anything written by Arunava Sinha, so, not surprisingly, I loved this one too.. Also, I'd like to read more stories by Srishendu Mukhopadhyay.

My only problem: there are no quotation marks for dialogues, which I generally find very disturbing.

If you enjoy reading slow paced, contemplative stories about human emotions and relationships, No One At The Bus Stop is definitely worth reading.

[Nuhash · Rating 4 out of 5]

মানুষকে তার সব সম্পর্ক থেকে ছিঁড়ে আনা যায় না। একজনকে ভাল না বাসলেই যে তার সঙ্গে সম্পর্ক ছিন্ন হয়ে গেল এমন নয়। আবার কাউকে ভালবাসলেই যে নতুন সম্পর্ক গড়ে উঠল এও নয়।

বাস স্টপে কেউ নেই" দুটি পরিবারের অন্ত-কোন্দল নিয়ে গড়ে উঠা। পারিবারিক ভাঙন থেকে শুরু করে তাদের মাঝে থাকা বিচ্ছেদ-বেদনা লেখক প্রকৃতিতে ভাসিয়ে দিয়েছেন আপন নির্ঝরিণীতে। এই কাহিনী দেবাশীষ,তৃণা, শচীন, রেবা, মনু আর রবির ভাঙনের এক টুকরো অসহায়ত্বের গল্প।

দেবাশীষ যে ছিল এক দূরন্ত যুবক। ভালবাসার খেলায় মেতে সেও বিয়ে করেছিল চন্দনাকে। চন্দনার লোভী স্বভাব আর ভালোবাসাহীনতা তাকে দূরে করে দিয়েছিল। দেবাশীষের সেই গভীর জলের শুকনো হৃদয়ে ভালবাসা এনেছিল তৃণা। তৃণার নিজেরও সংসার ছিল, ছিল দুটি সন্তান। কিন্তু তারা কেউ তার আপন বলে ছিল না। উপেক্ষা আর হৃদয় ক্ষরণ ছাড়া। তৃণাও দেবাশীষকে পেয়ে মরুভূমির মধ্যে জল পাওয়া ভালবাসার সন্ধান পায়। ভালবাসাটা কি অদ্ভুত, যে পাত্রে রাখে তারই কথা বলে। দুটি সংসারে টানাপোড়েনের আর ভালোবাসার নিরুদ্দেশ যাত্রা নিয়ে লেখা, বাসস্টপে কেউ নেই।

[Arsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ordered this novella a couple of days ago, received it today and completed it in one go. It was a quick read about love, marriage, extra martial affair and family.

The writing style is very simple and polished. It is very well translated.
The characters are very much real. One really feels for Trina and Debashish at a point that arrives after half way into the book.

The best thing about the book is it's cover and the pages are so smooth. I had a great experience reading it.

The part where the author lacks to leave an impact is how he concludes everything. It somehow contradicts with itself. The ending could have been better.

Otherwise, it provides you a reflection of life. With a thin layer of philosophy.

[Kirti Changlani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now that I have finished reading this one. An eerie silence has clouded my mind. This short story is so profound and brilliantly written. I guess, I should read more translations. That way, I can definitely be a good reader. Hope that also helps me be a better writer I guess. Anyway, read this one guys. It is short but not a light read, will give you much thought to ponder upon. Translation was to the point too.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story with a strong narrative, on human relations, choices, love, and overwhelming consequences. The novel is set over a period of just twelve hours of a day somewhere in 70s Calcutta, and holds you throughout. A simple one sitting read.

[John Milton · Rating 4 out of 5]

সুখ যে কখন এসে মানুষকে পাগল করে দিয়ে যায়, তা কেউই বুঝতে পারে..

[Avijit · Rating 4 out of 5]

সম্পর্ক ও তাঁর বোঝাগুলো!

[Arnab Mohajan Shaptarshi [ অর্ণব মহাজন সপ্তর্ষি ] · Rating 5 out of 5]

বাসস্টপে কেউ নেই ছোট্ট একটা বই। নভেলা।
শীর্ষেন্দুর হাতে আপাতত অর্থে "বিশেষত্বহীন" এই কাহিনি প্রাণ পেয়েছে। 💐💞

[Gilgamesh · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5

[Dhiraj Sharma · Rating 3 out of 5]

What motivates men and women to seek love outside the marriage fold. Is it the indifference of husband/wife, sons/daughters, marital discord, lust or plain boredom. There is a line from the book which goes like this “What could be more intoxicating than what’s forbidden”.

This is the story of Trina and Debashish who seek solace in each other’s company and decide to stay together. Debashish wife has died leaving him with a son and Trina’s husband and kids ignore her at home.

Its is a poignant tale with its base firmly rooted to the ground, I am glad the author was subtle in conveying the message of adultery and did not go over the top. While reading I was reminded of Hindi movie Jogger’s park.

Eloping is easier said than done and it’s the family ties which bind you till the very end however strained your relationship might be with your immediate family members.

The translation from Bengali is impeccable and I smiled while reading about familiar Kolkata landmarks such as Peiping restaurant at Park Street, Deshopriyo park, Rash Bihari Avenue, Maniktala and Ballygunj bus stop.

Read this book for its plain simplicity for its underlying current and the message it conveys.

[Rohini Biswas · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a long break from reading I picked up a novella named 'There was no one at the bus stop'. The title intrigued me, I won't lie. I asked around my Bengali friends for the original title of the book and searched for an audiobook but alas! It wasn't available. I had no choice but to read the translated version of this beautifully written novella by Sirshendu Mukhopadhyay (translated by Arunava Sinha).

An extra marital affair is the central theme of the story that revolves around Debashish- a widower and Trina- a mother of two teenagers stuck in an unhappy and mechanical marriage. The story doesn't glorify or normalise illicit relationships but isn't preachy as well. It just puts forth scenarios that make sense. The guilt, shame, anger, helplessness and everything that comes along with living a double life is all there. The agony of being ignored and being irrelevant to one's own children is also there. What isn't there is a closure, and that perhaps is the beauty of this novella.

It was my first read of Sirshendu, a celebrated Bengali writer, and I'm looking forward to exploring more of his work.

[Debarati · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple and evocative work on the heart-wrenching guilt that comes with infidelity. Trina is unnoticed and unhappy in her marriage to a stoic, wealthy man. Her children ignore her and she feels redundant and inconsequential in their world. Debashish, her "lover", is a widower with a young son. He was deeply unhappy in his marriage to a shallow gold-digger, who after 5 odd years killed herself. The novella looks at about 12 hours in a day as Trina and Deb decide to start a life together. Except that it isn't that simple.
A well put together story about the profound numbness and pain of two unhappy people.

[Kavita Ayyagari · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't like the story much ... And wouldn't recommend it , avoidable! am now wondering if its a good idea to go blindly with book club recommendations ...

[Chithra Kaviyappilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story :)

[Shahidul Nahid · Rating 3 out of 5]

পরিবার...মায়া, রক্তের টান... ক্ষণিকের মোহে পা না দিয়ে পরিবারকে সময় দেয়া , পরিবারকে বুঝতে পারা নিয়ে গল্প।

[विकास 'अंजान' · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an okay book.You can read more here:
There was no one at the Bus Stop